Teresa B. Kulik

Protection of personal data in health care units

A presentation of the regulations concerning the protection of personal data at health care units is a purpose of the work. Medical data i.e. sensitive data constitute the special category of personal details (sensitive ones) which concern medical condition, information about the genetic code or addictions. A general prohibition on the processing of sensitive data exists, except for the situation, when provisions of the law allow it. In the legal status being in force processing both information referring directly to the medical condition of man, and information the average recipient can acquire these data is forbidden. Processing sensitive personal details without the written consent of the person which they concern, is possible only in the objective of protection of medical condition, providing medical services or curing patients by persons being engaged professionally in curing or with providing other medical services, provided there are created full guarantees of the protection such data.. Medical data gathered by the health-service units must be provided with the full legal protection, predicted in the act from 29.08.1997 about the protection of personal data. For creating appropriate conditions of storing medical documentation a manager of the health care unit is held responsible.

Professional Responsibility of Workers of Health Care

The aim of the work is to discuss the workers’ professional responsibility of the health care system. Proper exercising of the right to health and the right to protect health, first of all, depends on effective and stable law which would regulate the functioning of the health care system and on well prepared workers. Apart from the level of knowledge and factual preparation to work in the profession, the determinants of the workers’ qualifications of the health care system are high sensibility, both ethical and moral. Actions or nonfeasances which determine professional responsibility of workers are characterized by infringement and they violate particular obligations. Responsibility of workers of health care is one of the mechanisms which should guarantee a satisfactory level of medical services. Its aim is to make the worker, who was proved to behave improperly, improve his/her actions, especially those serious ones and the ones which are repeated. Otherwise he/she could be temporarily or permanently deprived of his/her right to practice. The doctors who possess a diploma, but they do not have the right to carry the occupation are not subject to this mode. The range of doctors’ professional responsibility is defined generally and the forbidden actions are not exactly described. Nurses and midwives bear the responsibility for the whole range of professional activity, including the field of relations nurse – patient – the members of the therapeutic team. The legal responsibility means the necessity of bearing the consequences provided for by legal regulations. Dissatisfaction with the health care system is justified but very often directed in an impropriate way. Surely, the quality of the doctors’ or nursing practise should be constantly improved and while improving the conditions, the responsibility should increase.